For several years I have been one of the thousands of unregistered guests who come to this site, either for new ideas or to read the stories and experiences of the many others who enjoy the Halloween season. I finally broke down and registered, if only to thank you all for so many ideas.

As an introduction, here's a small questionnaire I put together about myself:

1) Have you always enjoyed Halloween? I'd like to answer "as long as I can remember" but at my age I can't remember that far back! In fact, there was a fallow time between grammar school and the birth of my daughter where I really didn't notice the holiday. It took my child and an employer who put on a company trick-or-treat for several years (sadly, the organization has changed since) to rekindle the spirit of play and delight which Halloween now represents to me.

2) Are you a professional haunter? no

3) How many fog machines/foggers do you own? 4

4) When do you start shopping for Halloween? Can't say, since I never really stop. However, I start haunting store aisles in earnest during August, looking for first offerings.

5) When do you begin decorating? October 1, gradually, until the BIG DAY! On September 1 I put out fall pumpkins and pull decorations from storage. Halloween cards and gifts go out towards the end of September.

6) What about your family? Do they like Halloween? Husband - he says no, bah humbug, and complains that my decorations take up an entire room but I've heard him bragging behind my back. I think he likes to watch. Daughter, now 11, likes to give me permission to buy Halloween stuff (so I don't get out of hand) and help out on some of the traditional projects. My brother sends me just a birthday card in September and then ships me a case of Halloween decorations come October.

7) How many ToT's do you get? We live in a small secluded community so we get 20, maybe, counting the kids who won't come in (the parents come in to get the treat, which is how we know). Not counting the adults who come by to look. Or the repeats, who want to see it again. To our credit, we are known as the "Halloween House" so I know we are making memories for the few kids we do have here!

8) We like pictures here. Do you have pictures? Such as they are, which aren't that good, can be found on my home page.

9) Can you list some ideas and/or information you gleaned from this forum? fog chillers (2 versions - the ice chest and the 10' pipe), Great Stuff, Walgreens, Styrofoam insulation sheets, hot glue, Dollar Store, gravestone supports (hot glue pvc to stone, place over dowels in ground), gravestone surfacing (gray primer, black paint and water), zombie hands by Cassie7, Halloween count down, Froggy juice, camera tripod, floodlights. These are only a few that come to mind.

Finally, I'd like to give a big shout out to larry, the admin. I appreciate the fact that when I feel the need to visit the forum (which is fairly frequently, throughout the year) it is always up and running. Thanks, larry!

Back to lurking .....